Why I’m Choosing WordPress Exclusively to Freelance

There is a major mental shift that has to happen when one is thinking about freelancing and it is this:

You are now marketing a product and not your expertise.

When you are learning to code with the goal of obtaining a job, you want to prove that you have adequate experience in certain languages, frameworks, etc. However, when your goal is to freelance, these technical abilities, while they are important to have, move to the back-burner.

Why? Because your client is not interested in your technical jargon, but instead an end product. They want an e-commerce site or a portfolio site. They want certain customizations or functions. They want something specific done, and need someone to make this happen by whatever means possible.

In addition, time is money. The more effectively and quickly (not in the careless sense) you can reach that end product and start the next project, the more word your business will see.

Given all of this, as I began to think about the most effective way to build websites, I have decided to focus my freelance business on WordPress exclusively.

Here are five reasons why I am going to focus on WordPress exclusively to freelance:

ITS BREADTH

It has been reported that WordPress powers 25% of the Web. Whether this is true or not, no one would deny its popularity and effectiveness in meeting the needs of business and bloggers. In addition, given that it is open source, there are myriads of themes, plugins, tutorials, and customizations that make it a #1 pick for businesses ranging from small to corporate.

Given the breadth of this content management system, versatility and its vast usage, it is a great option for many clients seeking a new website and for any freelance business.

SIMPLICITY SEEKS COMPLEXITY

There are countless blogs with 20-minute tutorials teaching people how to get starting with a WordPress blog, and it REALLY IS that easy. However, though this may get them started, there is a lot more to WordPress that takes time to learn and even more that usually takes the skill of a developer.

This is where I come in. Setting up a WordPress site is only the beginning. There will come the need for custom pages, custom fields, troubleshooting, etc. that will require someone that understands the platform and understands coding. This is another great freelance opportunity.

NOT REINVENTING THE WHEEL

CodeNewbies want to write code. They want to build custom sites or applications from scratch. However, this is not efficient at all when it comes to freelance work as most people do not want to pay more than they have to. Building custom sites from scratch takes a lot of time and money and also adds lots of unnecessary work that has already been provided for you.

The great thing about WordPress sites is that you can get it up and running quick, and you can still write custom code! You still use your favorite code editor. You still use version control and Github. In fact, with WordPress starter themes (such as Underscores) you can still create a completely customized site from scratch if need be.

VERSATILITY

WordPress makes it easy to configure any site to meet your client’s specific needs. It can be easily setup as an e-commerce site or a subscription site. It can be easily configured for MailChimp or ConvertKit. Creating these options from scratch would take more time and expertise than many are willing to invest in. WordPress’s versatility in this manner makes it, again, ideal for freelance work.

LANGUAGES

I really like JavaScript and PHP. Fortunately, these two languages are used to run WordPress! There is also SQL and of course HTML/CSS. By using WordPress exclusively, I can still stay sharp in my coding skills and in languages that are still in demand today. This helps if I decide down the road to look for a desk job.

CONCLUSION

In freelancing, it is about making a client’s request a reality. I believe most of these requests can be successfully met with WordPress, and met with a client’s finances, time, and specific goals in mind. Not only is this a great platform to create websites, but the customization and upkeep involved creates a freelance platform that is in demand and I believe will be in demand for years to come.

Do you think WordPress is a good choice for freelancing? Do you use WordPress exclusively to freelance? What is your experience?

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